[Lewiss]

Hi everyone,

Soon to be selling my 335i and looking for a fun 4k car to run around in.

initially was looking at e30 325i sport but moved my attention to merc 190e 2.3 cosworth.

now im looking at e36 m3 evo's, i know running one wont be cheap but with the money i bank from selling my current car it wont be an issues.

you can probably tell im after something which will have an old school feel and will need plenty of attention but will keep a smile on my face and be discreet.

because im keep jumping to what i consider more superior value cars, i could do with some suggestions and advice on these cars or other cars.

Many thanks

ps. budget is not fixed, and can be adjusted for the right car.

[RCUK]

Id buy an integra type R ... best FWD car ever made, and having driven one recently after owning one from 2002-2005 its still an incredible driving machine.

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by RCUK

Id buy an integra type R ... best FWD car ever made, and having driven one recently after owning one from 2002-2005 its still an incredible driving machine.

+1, by far the most fun/involving car to drive I've owned, makes my modified 335i feel like a bloated motorway barge.




I PX mine for £5K nearly 8 years ago, a decent one these days still cost in the region of £4K, so pretty much deprecation free motoring these days

One day when I can justify having a 'weekend toy', a DC2 Teg is top of the shopping list.

[makkan00]

Can somebody explains why its fun to drive one of these honda?

Sorry, my ignorance, but I would like to know the difference b/w these and E92 330i/335i.

When you guys say 'fun', what are you referring to? Speed, cornering, braking, engaging or something else.

[misterS3]

I'm picking up a 306 Gti 6 next week. Very cheap. But should be lots of fun.

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Can somebody explains why its fun to drive one of these honda?

Sorry, my ignorance, but I would like to know the difference b/w these and E92 330i/335i.

When you guys say 'fun', what are you referring to? Speed, cornering, braking, engaging or something else.

The DC2 Integra R weighs 1160 kg compared to nearly 1600kg for the E90 335i, so straight away its going to change directions faster/corner better.

The engine is absolutely mental, and revs to 8400rpm, and stock came with a rather loud exhaust, no sound deadening. The model I had came with no air-con or radio to save weight, an additional stiffening strut in the rear, and apart from ABS no other driving aids.

Even though it wasn't all that fast (pretty pedestrian by todays standards), every time you got in it and drove it, it felt like an event, and the LSD was simply amazing, just as you felt the front going light when cornering instead of lifting off you simply smash the throttle and all of a sudden the front end just tightens up away off you go......and if you after some tail out fun, just than lift off, but you better be ready to catch the tail or your find your self facing the wrong way rather quickly

If you don't find any of the above appealing in a car than your never understand why the DC2 ITR is held in such high regard...Evo summed up the experience rather nicely:

‘It’s a car as sweet and all-consuming as any I’ve experienced at any price, and as pure and focused in its own way as any Porsche RS. Forget the accolade of greatest front-wheel-drive car. The Integra Type-R ranks as one of the truly great drivers’ cars of any kind.’

Give me the choice between my old DC2 Teg or my currently heavily modified 335i, and an empty twisty B road I would pick the DC2 Teg every time. Its the only car I regret selling, and now I really really wish I had kept it ...but I will get another one at some point

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/carg...a_integra.html

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

The DC2 Integra R weighs 1160 kg compared to nearly 1600kg for the E90 335i, so straight away its going to change directions faster/corner better.

The engine is absolutely mental, and revs to 8400rpm, and stock came with a rather loud exhaust, no sound deadening. The model I had came with no air-con or radio to save weight, an additional stiffening strut in the rear, and apart from ABS no other driving aids.

Even though it wasn't all that fast (pretty pedestrian by todays standards), every time you got in it and drove it, it felt like an event, and the LSD was simply amazing, just as you felt the front going light when cornering instead of lifting off you simply smash the throttle and all of a sudden the front end just tightens up away off you go......and if you after some tail out fun, just than lift off, but you better be ready to catch the tail or your find your self facing the wrong way rather quickly

If you don't find any of the above appealing in a car than your never understand why the DC2 ITR is held in such high regard...Evo summed up the experience rather nicely:

‘It’s a car as sweet and all-consuming as any I’ve experienced at any price, and as pure and focused in its own way as any Porsche RS. Forget the accolade of greatest front-wheel-drive car. The Integra Type-R ranks as one of the truly great drivers’ cars of any kind.’

Give me the choice between my old DC2 Teg or my currently heavily modified 335i, and an empty twisty B road I would pick the DC2 Teg every time. Its the only car I regret selling, and now I really really wish I had kept it ...but I will get another one at some point

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/carg...a_integra.html

Thanks. Should try one of these....

[Kerr]

Most people think that a fun car is a car puts you into your seat when you plant your foot down.

Drive something like a Toyota GT86 or a Mazda MX5 and you can have fun with relatively low power by today's standards.

[makkan00]

Are all the fun cars two door???
I must admit that I always liked gt86.
I think I'll hire it for a week to see what its like?

[misterS3]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Are all the fun cars two door???
I must admit that I always liked gt86.
I think I'll hire it for a week to see what its like?

I've not been in one, but watched a few vids etc and it seems to be let down by a lack of torque or power in general. Although you can remedy that for £5k.

Before i bought my 6, i thought about Mx5, 350z, Porcsche 968, E30 31is, 325 etc and they all have their merits. And i may get one next year, especially if the right car comes up. (although at £4k i'm some of those will require some skills to keep on the road! mechanically i mean!)

[mob17]

For me, the minimum requirements would be a light RWD petrol car with an LSD.

[gangzoom]

I think we all get distracted by the pursuit for BHP. Just look at the number of threads on here about modded 335s vs M3s etc...

For me the reason the DC2 Teg is so good is because you can hammer it on public roads at 90% of it performance potential without fear of loosing your licence. It only has 15inch wheels so much like the GT86 it will run of grip very quickly, without all the driver aids, and the amazing noise from the engine the sensation of speed is immense.

For pure driving 'fun' 60mph in a ITR is so more exciting than doing double that speed in my 335i....But there lies the problem, I sold it because I was doing regular 100 miles commutes in it. Been stuck in a traffic jam on the M1 in the middle of summer with no air con or radio really isn't 'fun' in anyway or form.

So you than have to add creature comforts to a car, which all add weight, dulls the driving experience, and than all we have left is the pursuit for more BHP

Though reading up on the DC2 ITR has really made me want to get one, but sadly it look like prices have already started to appreciate. A decent one is now £6k, and a low millage one £8k.That's quite a lot of cash for a 15 year old car....I've said to my wife I'll happy get rid of the 335 for a Skoda/Kia diesel run around if she lets me get a mint DC2 Teg as an investment/2nd car.....But she's not having it

[Vaheed1]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

I think we all get distracted by the pursuit for BHP. Just look at the number of threads on here about modded 335s vs M3s etc...

Completely agree. I bought a 106 GTI a couple of years back for £700, to keep the miles off my 330d. I absolutely adored it. c120 bhp <1,000kg - it was like a little mental go-kart.

[Marshall878]

Originally Posted by Vaheed1

Completely agree. I bought a 106 GTI a couple of years back for £700, to keep the miles off my 330d. I absolutely adored it. c120 bhp <1,000kg - it was like a little mental go-kart.

Ohhhhhh i loved my GTi!

[Josh1a1h]

I loved my Civic VTI!!! was absolutely awesome!!! Handled amazingly and VTEC was just so much fun!!!!

[mowflow]

I have a 1990 205gti and a 2000 10ae mx5. Both are fun and well within budget. However. Cars of the 205s age are most certainly not daily use. You need to be very tolerant, be good friends with a mechanic or very handy yourself to keep a 20+ year old car running. Even my mx5 has required quite a lot of work over the past 6 months to keep it running. Just small things like brakes, failed callipers, wheel bearings, worn bushes, window regulators etc. If it wasn't for the fact i enjoy doing the work myself alongside a full nut and bolt rebuild on the 205 I would have got shot of both long ago.

So if you go in for something like an e30, 190e or even an e36 do so with your eyes and toolbox open.

I think if I was buying a daily fun car at the stated budget I'd probably go for a wee Suzuki swift sport or something. Classic hot hatch fun in a highly reliable and cheap package. A DC2 would be great but having hit their bottom about 2 years ago they are on the up and there are a hell of a lot of dogs about.

[AWebster]

Originally Posted by misterS3

I'm picking up a 306 Gti 6 next week. Very cheap. But should be lots of fun.

Had loads of these, great little car for the money. Lots of fun

[Jase 320d]

S2000 if money stretches to it

If not a teg is an awesomely fun car

[Somerset Jim]

What about something like this?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...azda?logcode=p

My other half has one of these and they're good fun. Bit more practical than a normal 2 door given it has the suicide doors. Hers has covered 105k miles and is at the end of its life but if you can find a low mileage one (and for £4k you should!) then you should have some fun in a relatively rare car when compared to most others...

[Frobius]

£2k with only 30k on the clock! That's got to be fucked, surely!

[misterS3]

Originally Posted by AWebster

Had loads of these, great little car for the money. Lots of fun

Just drove it back to Glasgow from Chelmsford. It was brilliant. Rock solid on the motorway at motorway speeds. The paint work needs redoing and the AC packed in. But otherwise it's brilliant. Great wee driver.

[AWebster]

Originally Posted by misterS3

Just drove it back to Glasgow from Chelmsford. It was brilliant. Rock solid on the motorway at motorway speeds. The paint work needs redoing and the AC packed in. But otherwise it's brilliant. Great wee driver.

They're impressive for the money, enjoy it